The groundbreaking 2012 Maryland Children’s Environmental Health Progress Report focuses on the environmental health concerns associated with pesticides and other toxic chemicals, as well as air and water pollution, hydraulic fracturing for natural gas extraction (‘fracking’) and climate change.
Maryland has made much progress, yet there are many additional opportunities to protect our children from exposure to toxics in the air, water, land and consumer products. This comprehensive report provides the most current science regarding the impact of pesticides and other toxics on our children, as well as outlining the policies needed to address the problems identified in the report.
From the report…..
The Problem
“Pesticides can cause or make worse: asthma, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, numbness, headache, dizziness, eye, nose and throat irritation, change in vision, fatigue, muscle and joint pain, numbness, mental confusion, contact dermatitis, blisters and skin burns.
Long-term potential consequences of pesticide contact from even one exposure at a critical stage of fetal development include certain cancers, birth defects, miscarriages, respiratory, neurological, developmental, learning and behavioral problems, and immune system disorders.”
Needed Policy
“Maryland lacks a central online, timely, database of information that our state agencies and public health experts can access to determine what, when and where pesticides are being applied commercially within the state. Without this data, we cannot ascertain the occurrence and impact of pesticide runoff on our waterways and the link between pesticide use and health impacts. This data is critical to enable public health experts to assess changes in incidence patterns and unusual clusters of cancers, autism, ADHD, birth defects and other health impacts.”
